Rembrandt and the Nude

Rembrandt made etchings of female nudes during two distinct periods of his career: in the 1630s, and another two decades later. This exhibition draws attention to the beauty and power of Rembrandt’s treatment of the female form, despite attacks received from critics of the time.

24/09/2019

23/02/2020

Free

Event information

Rembrandt made etchings of female nudes during two distinct periods of his career: in the 1630s, and another two decades later. He depicted his models naturalistically, naar ‘t leven (‘from life’), in informal poses, concentrating on the sensuousness of their flesh rather than on the idealised female body. From shortly after Rembrandt’s death up until the mid-20th century this unidealised treatment was fiercely attacked by critics, who used words such as ‘intolerable’, ‘ill-shaped’ and ‘monstrous’ to describe his departure from the classical norms of beauty. This exhibition challenges this view, drawing attention to the beauty and power of Rembrandt’s treatment of the female form.